Apple tree `Romagold`

ABSTRACT

A new variety of apple originating as a spontaneous limb mutation of its parent vairety Jonagold (unpatented) and unique particularly for its over-all, early, broadly striped, red skin color pattern, its tart-like flavor, taste and high dessert quality and otherwise as herein described.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/013,021 filed Feb. 2, 1993, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of apple tree and more particularly to a spontaneous limb-sport mutation of the apple variety commonly known as Jonagold, a non-patented variety.

The discovery was made by the inventor, Mr. Romain Surkijn, in 1983, in one of his cultivated apple orchards located at Betserbaan 40, B-3460, Halen, Belgium.

The mutation appeared as a spontaneous limb-sport in the upper portion of a two (2) year old Jonagold tree (FIG. 1). The inventor (discoverer) was attracted to this new Jonagold sport by the early, broadly striped, bright, red coloring of its fruit (See FIGS. 3 and 5). The winter following this discovery, the inventor collected grafting wood from the sport-limb to use for grafting of second (2nd) generation trees and for topworking. Second (2nd) generation trees were grafted in the spring of 1985. The new cultivar was named "Romagold" for all future reference use (FIG. 2).

Several (6) trees were also top worked in order to speed up the production of second (2nd) generation fruit and to see if this new discovery was stable in the next generation. These grafts produced second (2nd) generation fruit the following fall (1986) and in all succeeding years. Third (3rd) generation fruits have now also been produced and all second (2nd) and third (3rd) generation fruit show the same early unique broadly striped red fruit coloration identical to fruits grown on the original sport limb.

The new Romagold variety has been carefully compared to its parent, the Jonagold variety (unpatented), and to other red Jonagold sport varieties now being grown, including Jonagored (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,937), Daliguy (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,148), Jonica (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,146), Rubinstar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,590) and Jonagold De Coster (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,049).

Fruit skin color, shape, color intensity and other fruit characteristics of the new variety are compared in Table 1 to the varieties listed above, and are hereby further described:

1. The skin color of Romagold takes on a distinctive, and heavily striped pattern heavier and earlier than that of the parent tree, with the stripes being conspicuously a more prominent, darker red in appearance than those of the parent tree and the color sports within the market class. As the fruit advances to the stage of market ripeness, essentially the totality of the remaining unstriped surface of the fruit skin takes on a solid or block red blush, resulting in an essentially solid red apple which has subtle but definite deep red stripes over the attractive red ground color which, with the deep red stripes, covers 75% or more of the total fruit exterior. This results in a fruit which has an enhanced rich dark-red-over-red surface coloration which is frequently preferred by the fresh apple consumer.

2. The above mentioned broad red striped effect is particularly noticeable when Romagold fruit is displayed in packed cartons and or boxes. This color pattern differs distinctively from displays made up of blush (block) colored fruits. The value of this broad bright red striped characteristic is of considerable importance when marketing the fruit since striped red apple fruits are now preferred over blush (block) colored fruits in most world markets.

3. The value of this characteristic is also demonstrated in poor coloring years and in poor coloring apple growing districts. Poorly colored striped apples are always preferred over equally poorly colored solid-red (block) colored fruits.

When comparing Romagold to the other five patented red Jonagold varities the following fruit skin differences were noted:

1. Romagold's broadly striped bright red skin color was distinctive and markedly different from the more over-all solid block colored fruits of Jonagold De Coster, Jonagored and Rubinstar. The finished color of these three clones showed only very slight and/or no striping of fruit skin color at harvest.

2. The finished skin color of fruits of the Daliguy and Jonica varieties often showed a tomato red to dull brown red color characteristic at harvest. This differed distinctly from Romagold's very broad bright red chimera-like stripes.

3. Over-all fruit color percentages were difficult to measure because of the differing fruit coloring characteristics. See Table 1 for estimated percentages of overall red skin color at harvest of all Jonagold red sport varieties tested. However, the new Romagold variety exhibits many more chimera-like stripes than the other Jonagold red sport varieties, which tend to exhibit more of a blush (block) skin coloration.

    ______________________________________     ROMAGOLD COLOR COMPARISON TABLE #1     ______________________________________                          JONAGOLD                          DE COSTER   JONAGORED              ROMAGOLD    (USPP 8049) (USPP 5937)     ______________________________________     Early color              Begins to color                          Similar to  Brownish     development              about two   Standard    brown-red     of fruit weeks ahead of                          Jonagold with                                      color through-              Jonagold mid-                          some pink to                                      out the growing              dle of August in                          red additional                                      season, darken-              Halen, Belgium.                          color visible                                      ing and redden-              Begins to color                          from July   ing in early              with a heavy                          through early                                      September.              stripe pattern.                          September.     Fruit finish              Overall glossy                          Very bright Dark red to     color - shade              bright cherry                          wine red tone                                      brown red; 821              red. Produces                          similar to  Currant red to              more red sur-                          Standard Jona-                                      822 Cardinal              face than Jona-                          gold with no                                      red (RHCCL)              gored, colors                          brown tones.              well, even on                          Finish tone is              shaded sides of                          between 818              fruit. (39-12                          Jasper red and              Munsell Color                          818 Orient red              chart)      (RHCCL)     Finish fruit              75-100% bright                          Many fruits Many fruits     color - %              cherry red with                          with 85-95% with 85-95%              heavy broad red color, some                                      red color, some              stripes.    light stripes.                                      apples blush                                      finish, others                                      some stripes.     ______________________________________              RUBINSTAR   DALIGUY     JONICA              (USPP 7590) (USPP 6148) (USPP 7146)     ______________________________________     Early color              Starts very Light green,                                      Light green.     development              early at the end                          dark green.     of fruit of August in a              brownish way.     Fruit finish              Transforms  Bright wine red                                      Brown to     color - shade              from brown  with white to                                      pink-red.              into dark red.                          yellow back-                          ground.     Finish fruit              Many fruits Many fruits Many fruit     color - %              with 90-100%                          with 30-40% colors with              block red color.                          red color   70% in a pink                          stripes over a                                      red. Others may                          white to yellow                                      stay brownish                          background  pink red.                          with more in-                          tensity than                          standard     ______________________________________

Romagold has growth characteristics similar to its parent and to the other five sport clones compared to it. All exhibit an open standard-type (non-spur) growth characteristic. (See Table 2).

    ______________________________________     ROMAGOLD TREE COMPARISON TABLE #2     ______________________________________                          JONAGOLD                          DE COSTER   JONAGORED              ROMAGOLD    (USPP 8049) (USPP 5937)     ______________________________________     Growth   upright,    upright rather                                      vigouous,              vigorous,   vigorous,   non-spur              non-spur    non-spur     Bearing Habit              regular annual                          regular annual                                      regular annual              bearer      bearer      bearer     Trunk and              medium stock,                          moderately  moderately     Branches medium thick                          thick, no spur                                      thick                          growth     Bark Color              dark grey   grey        dark grey     Vigor    same as     same as     grows 5-10%              standard    standard    more than                                      standard     Productivity              100%        100%        90%     ______________________________________              RUBINSTAR   DALIGUY     JONICA              (USPP 7590) (USPP 6148) (USPP 7146)     ______________________________________     Growth   less upright,                          upright, less                                      less upright,              much less   vigorous, non-                                      much less              vigorous, non-                          spur        vigorous, non-              spur                    spur     Bearing Habit              regular annual                          tendency to regular annual              bearer      biannual    bearer                          bearing     Trunk and              thin        moderately  thin     Branches             thick     Bark Color              very dark grey                          dark grey   grey     Vigor    virus infected,                          same as     VF grows 10%              grows 10% less                          standard    less than              than standard           standard     Productivity              80%         90%         80%     ______________________________________

Since Romagold possesses standard non-spur growth characteristics, a variety of tree training methods can be employed, such as:

1. Free standing central leader training with trees on either seedling or the more vigorous dwarfing rootstocks.

2. Central Axis training with either pole or wire support on dwarf type rootstocks.

3. Trellis-type training methods may be employed where more vigorous, non-spur type growth is necessary for proper training on dwarfing type rootstocks.

No noticeable differences have been observed in fruiting habits between Romagold and its parent Jonagold or the other five red Jonagold clones tested. Precocity and response to chemical thinning are similar.

No noticeable significant differences were recorded or observed in fruit size between all of the clones of red Jonagold. There are, however, a number of other differences between the fruit characteristics of the new Romagold variety and the red Jonagold clones, as shown and described in detail in Table 3.

    ______________________________________     ROMAGOLD FRUIT COMPARISON TABLE #3     ______________________________________                          JONAGOLD                          DE COSTER   JONAGORED              ROMAGOLD    (USPP 8049) (USPP 5937)     ______________________________________     Shape    large, uniform,                          not as large,                                      very large, not              round to    more uniform in                                      uniform size,              slightly conical                          size, globose                                      oblong conical                          conical     Stem     long        long        medium long     Calyx    partly open quite shallow                                      shallow     Cavity   acute, medium                          broad, medium                                      rather small,              deep        deep        medium to                                      shallow     Skin     smooth, glossy                          smooth      smooth     Color at almost 100% uniform wine                                      dark red to     Harvest  bright red  red background                                      purple, little              broad strips,                          green to yellow                                      to no back-              some chimeras                          when ripe, little                                      ground striping,              (see Figs. 3 & 4)                          striping, mostly                                      solid block                          solid block color appear-                          color appear-                                      ance                          ance     Lenticels              small, conspic-                          numerous    numerous              uous, few &              scattered at              base     Calyx    reflexed and                          long narrow long narrow     Tube     divergent,              broad funnel              form     Core     median      small and   small and                          round       round     Seeds    .5 to 1 cm wide                          large wide  large wide              obtuse, dark              brown     Flesh    creamy white                          white yellowish                                      yellowish     ______________________________________              RUBINSTAR   DALIGUY     JONICA              (USPP 7590) (USPP 6148) (USPP 7146)     ______________________________________     Shape    smaller, more                          large, not uni-                                      rather large,              uniform in size,                          form in size,                                      not uniform in              flat globose                          globose conical                                      size, flat                                      globose     Stem     long        medium long long     Calyx    quite shallow,                          shallow, some                                      shallow, closed              some half open                          half open     Cavity   broad, medium                          broad, medium                                      small, medium              deep        deep        to shallow     Skin     very smooth smooth      very smooth     Color at uniform dark                          intense tomato                                      dull brown red     Harvest  red with very                          red with a  to pink red with              little green                          green to yellow                                      green to yellow              background, background  background              solid block              color appear-              ance     Lenticels              less        less        less     Calyx    long narrow not so long,                                      short wide, not     Tube                 narrow      small and flat     Core     not small   small and round                                      not small              and flat                and flat     Seeds    very small and                          large wide  very large,              very thin               very wide     Flesh    yellowish   yellowish   white yellowish     ______________________________________

As is common to many super-red sports of red apple cultivars, leaves of Romagold are a slightly darker green color when compared to leaves of its parent variety. The varieties were compared under similar growth conditions, i.e., pruning, nitrogen, water, etc. The difference in green color shade is too slight to determine on the color chart being used.

Similarly, compared to the Jonagold variety, the pinkish red color of some of the leaf petioles and midribs of Romagold are slightly more pronounced and intense than on the leaves of its parent variety. This pinkish-red color often extends further down the midrib.

No bark or tree growth differences have been noted. Surface bloom is formed on the skin of the fruit, but does not differ from surface bloom on other red Jonagold clones tested. Winter hardiness appears to be similar to its parent and the other red Jonagold clones tested. Spring blossom hardiness also appears to be similar. As with Jonagold and the other cultivars tested, the skin of Romagold has shown no russet problems.

The new Romagold variety is free of all 10 known viruses and virus-like diseases, and is resistant to the common fungal and bacterial diseases of apples.

THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying full-color pictures and tables illustrate the new Romagold apple tree and the characteristics of its fruit.

FIG. 1 Shows the sport limb on the original mother tree.

FIG. 2 Shows a three (3) year old second (2nd) generation tree of Romagold growing in the inventor's orchard near Halen, Belgium. Note standard Jonagold parent trees in background.

FIG. 3 Is a close-up view of Romagold fruit showing broad stripes and bright red skin color.

FIG. 4 Shows a color comparison--Romagold v. Jonagold at picking maturity.

FIG. 5 Color photograph showing Romagold's broad, red stripes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Following is a detailed description of the new variety with color terminology in accordance with the Munsell Color Cascade Chart except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

1. Parentage: A spontaneous limb-sport of the apple variety Jonagold (unpatented).

2. Locality where grown and observed:

Halen, Belgium.

Brogdale Experimental Horticultural Station.

Faversham-Kent, England.

Goren Research Station, Belgium.

Yakima, Wash. U.S.A.

3. Dates of first and last pickings: About September 25 and October 10, respectively, in Halen, Belgium. About September 20 and October 1, respectively, in Yakima, Wash., U.S.A.

4. Tree: Medium large, vigorous, dense foliage, rapid grower, upright.

Trunk.--Medium stocky, smooth, dark-brown (26-15).

Branches.--Medium thick, smooth, stocky, green-brown (23-13).

Lenticels.--Medium size, few, not raised, whitish-grey.

Twigs.--Slender.

Color.--Grey with reddish terminal buds.

5. Leaves: Large, long, medium wide, lanceolate, abruptly pointed, medium thick.

Length.--Average 7.5 cm.

Width.--Average 5.8 cm.

Color.--Green to dark-green (19-13).

Margin.--Moderately serrate.

Petiole.--Medium long (3 cm to 3.5 cm), medium slender.

Pose.--Upward.

Vein.--Pink to red on back side of leaves.

6. Flowers:

Date of first and full bloom.--About April 15 and April 25 respectively in Halen, Belgium. About April 10 and April 21, respectively, in Yakima, Wash., U.S.A.

Size.--Medium large.

Overall color.--Light red (43-8).

Pedicels.--Red.

Sepals.--Green with light-red tips.

Stamens.--Dark red.

7. Fruit:

Maturity when described.--Eating ripe. (Specimens described were grown and observed at Halen, Belgium, and at Yakima, Wash., U.S.A.

Size.--Large, uniform.

Axial diameter.--About 7.5 cm to 8.5 cm.

Horizontal diameter.--About 6.5 cm to 7.5 cm.

Form.--Regular, uniform, round to slightly conical, sides equal, rounded at base.

Cavity.--Acute, medium width, medium depth, symmetrical. reddish-green, very slight russet.

Basin.--Abrupt, symmetrical, five crowned, regular, medium width, medium depth.

Markings.--None.

Stem.--Long, slender (3 cm to 4 cm).

Calyx.--Partly open, calyx lobe persist and separate at base.

Calyx lobes.--Reflexed and divergent.

Pubescence.--Slight.

8. Skin: Smooth, glossy, medium thickness.

Stem cavity.--Reddish-green.

Dot.--Small, conspicuous, few and scattered at base. (FIG. 3).

Suture.--None.

Color.--Broad red chimera-like stripes, almost 100% bright red (39-12) (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Flesh.--Solid, juicy.

Color.--Creamy white.

Texture.--Firm, fine, crisp, tender.

Flavor.--Sweet to sub-acid.

Aroma.--Fruity, distinct.

Quality.--Best.

9. Core: Median.

Bundle area.--Symmetrical, medium small.

Halves of area.--Equal.

Bundle.--Inconspicuous.

Core lines.--Indistinct, meeting, broadly heartshaped.

Cross section.--Indistinct.

Calyx tube.--Broad funnel-form.

Stem (cylinder) of funnel.--Short to medium long.

Depth of tube to shoulder.--Less than 1 cm.

Entire depth.--About 2 to 2.5 cm.

Style.--Present, united at base.

Stamen.--Median, in one whorl.

Seed cell (carpels).--Open, axile, symmetrical, smooth, heart-shaped.

10. Seeds: One or two per cell, not tufted, acute at point, 1 to 1.5 cm long, 0.5 to 1 cm wide, obtuse, dark-brown (32-15).

11. Ploidy: Triploid.

12. Use: Dessert, juice, culinary, fresh market.

13. Keeping quality: Very good, up to 7 months in standard cold storage.

14. Resistance to insects and diseases: Average for scab and mildew. Virus-tested and virus free. Propagation wood available.

15. Winter hardiness: Hardy, same as parent variety.

16. Precosity: Similar to parent (FIG. 2). 

I claim:
 1. A new variety of apple tree substantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by its early coloring red fruits which differ from fruits produced by its parent variety Jonagold and from all other known sport varieties of red Jonagold by their distinct broadly striped red color pattern which remains are harvest. 